U.S. opposition to bilateral summit between PM Shinzo Abe and President Putin disregarded by Japan

Japan has disregarded U.S. opposition to a planned bilateral summit between Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Tokyo next week, diplomatic sources said. Last month, Washington repeatedly conveyed its objection to the Abe-Putin meeting in the capital out of concern that it might relieve pressure on Moscow by the Group of Seven economies, but on Thursday Japan formally announced the summit for Dec. 16, as well as another meeting in Yamaguchi Prefecture the previous day.